| WGIL | |
| Airdate: | June 12, 1938[1] |
| Frequency: | 1400 AM (KHz) |
| Translator: | 93.7 MHz (W229BO) |
| City: | Galesburg, Illinois |
| Area: | Galesburg, Illinois |
| Format: | News Talk |
| Owner: | Galesburg Broadcasting Company |
| Power: | 740 watts |
| Branding: | WGIL 93.7FM & 1400AM |
| Former Frequencies: | 1500 (1938–1941)[2] |
| Class: | C |
| Website: | www.wgil.com |
| Callsign Meaning: | Where Galesburg Is Listening |
| Licensing Authority: | FCC |
WGIL 1400 AM is a radio station broadcasting a news-talk-sports format. Licensed to Galesburg, Illinois, the station is owned by Galesburg Broadcasting Company.
WGIL carries a variety of local programming, as well as nationally syndicated shows such as Clark Howard and Jim Bohannon.[3]
WGIL began broadcasting on June 12, 1938, with its inaugural ceremony at the Galesburg Armory.[4] [1] Among the ceremony's attendees was Edith Luckett Davis, actress and mother of future first lady, Nancy Reagan.[4] Congratulatory telegrams were sent by Bing Crosby, Eddy Duchin, Benny Goodman, Guy Lombardo, and Illinois Governor Henry Horner.[4]
The station originally broadcast at 1500 kHz, running 250 watts during daytime hours only.[2] [4] Nighttime operations were added in 1939.[2] In 1941, the station's frequency was changed to 1400 kHz.[2] [4] Daytime power was increased to 1,000 watts in 1961.[2] Nighttime power was increased to 1,000 watts in 1985. In 1997, the station's power was reduced to 740 watts.[5]
In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the station aired a MOR format.[1] [6] [7] By 1987, the station had begun airing talk programming.[8] By 1999, the station had adopted a news-talk-sports format.[9]
In 2015, WGIL began to be rebroadcast on 93.7 FM, through a translator in Galesburg.[10] [11]